Previously called TWO OF THE SAME
❝ It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. ❞
Living with her godmother, Dorcas Meadows, and her uncle, Remus Lupin, 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 lives a pretty good life. That's unt...
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HARPER'S MIND HAD GONE BLANK WITH SHOCK. The four of them stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling.
"Hagrid," Harry muttered before making to turn back, but Ron seized his arms.
"We can't," Ron said, who was paper white. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him . . ."
Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.
"How — could — they?" she choked. "How could they?"
"Come on," Ron said, whose teeth seemed to be chattering.
They set off back towards the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the Cloak. Light was fading fast now. By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.
"Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!"
"Ron, be quiet!" Hermione whispered urgently. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute —"
"He won't — stay — put —"
Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip.
"What's the matter with him?"
But Harper had just seen — slinking towards them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness — Crookshanks. Whether he could see them, or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, she couldn't tell.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"
But the cat was getting nearer —
"Scabbers — NO!"
Too late — the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before Harry, Hermione or Harper could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.
